Labyrinth Exploration 101 - Chapter 308

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Labyrinth Exploration 101 Episode 308

My Happy Ending(3)

Before leaving for ‘The Door’, I scheduled a press conference. It was my last official schedule in this world.

Click- Click- Click-

In that place where dozens, hundreds of camera flashes burst as if piercing my retinas, I, Seol Ha-woon, declared.

“I will now retire from all industries including the exploration and entertainment fields and return to being an ordinary person.”

The conference hall instantly became as quiet as if cold water had been poured over it. The reporters were momentarily dazed, but soon pressed their shutters like madmen.

Clickarararararararack-

The shutter sounds seemed to be buffering.

After that, my smartphone caught fire. Contacts flooded in from Mitamnan colleagues, production staff, and even rankers whose faces I didn’t know.

This labyrinth certainly didn’t seem fake. Various companies brandished compensation claims worth hundreds of billions, and Kim A-rang and Yoon Sa-hyuk came directly to persuade me.

I rejected them all and disposed of all my assets to compensate for all damages.

The process was perfectly logical. The world inside The Door was remarkably similar to reality.

Except for one person, Kang Hyeon.

“Ha-woon.”

However, before leaving, Seo Ji-hyuk of all people came to see me. He looked at me without saying anything. He just stared at me like that for a while, then grinned.

My brow furrowed.

“What are you laughing at?”

“Nothing. Just. I know you, don’t I.”

I know myself. As much as I know myself, Seo Ji-hyuk also knows me.

So, his words needed no explanation.

“Ha-woon, you’re someone who won’t have regrets.”

The guy who was once like an older brother, once like a younger brother.

Though fake, still the Seo Ji-hyuk in my memories.

“I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

My one and only friend.

“…Yeah. Thanks.”

I quietly hugged him and left.

I set out on the road with my magic compass.

I crossed treacherous mountain roads, crossed rough seas, and sometimes flew through the sky with a hang glider.

I only followed the faint vibrations felt at the tip of the compass needle. My legs and knees hurt enough to break, but I didn’t stop.

In between, there was also the fun of sneaking peeks at news from the world I had retired from.

│[Breaking] Seol Ha-woon suddenly announces retirement… Exploration world ‘shocked’│

│’Je Mal-ol’ Seol Ha-woon, but why? Suspicions focus on retirement background│

│[Exclusive] Seol Ha-woon, marriage with ordinary woman imminent? Secret meetings held…│

│Speeding rumors swirling… Seol Ha-woon’s side “Cannot confirm private life”│

│Vanished Seol Ha-woon… Disappearance mystery, fans in ‘panic’│

│Seol Ha-woon, missing!│

“Talking nonsense about missing.”

So this is the kind of talk that would come out if I suddenly retired.

“…Ah, but.”

I looked toward the distance. The coastline spread out beyond the cliff. The sea had appeared again before I knew it.

“This is driving me crazy.”

When I go back, my knees will probably be quite badly scraped. I might not be able to move for several days.

“I should have brought Yoon Hwa-rim.”

She still hadn’t solved the 10th problem in this world either, I should have traded her for the cart saying I’d tell her the answer.

What a shame it turned out this way.

“Haaaaaaam…”

On the bed. Kang Hyeon stretched out and yawned as he opened his eyes.

The sound of stew bubbling came from the kitchen. When he went there, Father was there.

“Hyeon. Eat your meal.”

Steaming hot stew and freshly cooked rice. It was Kang Hyeon’s favorite meal.

“What’s on today?”

“It’s pretty relaxed. CF shooting during the day, and Mitamnan’s 2nd anniversary party in the evening.”

His manager, Father, talked about today’s schedule. Kang Hyeon ate his rice bit by bit.

“Shall we go when you’re done eating?”

“Yes.”

Getting in the car driven by Father, they arrived at the CF shooting studio. He took various poses and filmed the advertisement.

After finishing the shoot, they arrived at the Mitamnan 2nd anniversary party venue.

The glamorous banquet hall was already packed with fans, and familiar faces filled the space.

“Kang Hyeon hyung~”

“Oh~ Kang Hyeon! Long time no see?”

Im Hae-jun and Lee Jun-ho, Seo Ji-woo and Kate, Yoon Hwa-rim and Ryu Yeon-hwa.

Kang Hyeon approached them warmly. As soon as they met, everyone had a lot to say.

That’s how precious Mitamnan was as a memory for us…

Then.

Tap─ Tap─

Cutting through the loud music and people’s laughter, a particularly distinctive sound echoes from the banquet hall entrance.

Tap─ Tap─

At the banquet hall entrance, a person walking on the red carpet while using a walking stick.

Tap─ Tap─

Everyone’s gaze flows diagonally. Where their attention reaches, he is there.

Mitamnan’s winner─ Seol Ha-woon. Still long-haired, a tuxedo that suits his tall frame.

He parts through the crowd and approaches us. He waves to the fans, exchanges eye greetings with the explorers, and stops right in front of him.

“Hyung. It’s been really long.”

Then Seol Ha-woon smiled faintly. He nodded slightly and called to him.

“Hyeon.”

“Yes?”

Tap.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, he said these words.

“Now, we should leave, shouldn’t we?”

“…Yes?”

Kang Hyeon looked at him. He was reflected in his transparent eyes.

The noise of the world faded away, and a strange silence flowed as if only the two of us existed in this moment.

Kate boarded the cruise.

On the sea where dazzling sunlight shattered, a splendid deck party was in full swing. Not only Percival but also members of Labyrinth Exploration NaN had all gathered to celebrate her ascension to mage.

“It’s all thanks to uncle.”

Kate said to Percival, who had personally prepared this party for her. Percival smiled and patted her head. Actually, he messed it up.

Kate liked even that.

“You did well yourself. What did I even do… Huh?!”

Then Percival looked somewhere. Kate followed his gaze.

Tap─ Tap─

Under the swirling sea breeze and dazzling sunlight, a person walks across the deck, tapping his walking stick.

“Sergeant Seol!”

Percival welcomed him warmly. Seol Ha-woon extended his hand first, and the two men shook hands.

Soon his gaze also reached Kate.

Kate said.

“Nice to see you. Have you been well?”

“Yes.”

Kate curled up the corners of her mouth confidently.

“I’m sorry I became a mage first.”

“It’s fine.”

Seol Ha-woon fell silent for a moment and looked around.

Percival watching Kate and Seol Ha-woon warmly, and the sound of champagne glasses clinking. Numerous celebrities and explorers enjoying the party.

Seol Ha-woon opened his mouth.

“Colonel Percival.”

“Hmm?”

“Could you excuse us for a moment?”

“…Oh~ Okay. Okay! If it’s Sergeant Seol, well, I’m fine with it.”

Percival made a strange expression and stepped back, leaving Kate and Seol Ha-woon alone.

Kate’s brow immediately furrowed.

“Uncle, what’s good about-“

“Miss Kate.”

Seol Ha-woon cut off her words. He looked at her with eyes that rippled like the horizon.

“…What?”

However, there was no continuation. Gazes crossed in what was close to a staring contest.

For quite a while, for quite a long time. Kate tried not to lose even in this sudden staring contest, and Seol Ha-woon nodded calmly and said.

“It’s time to go now.”

Click- Click- Click- Click-

A red carpet where flashes burst like stars. Seo Ji-woo attended the awards ceremony with Seo Ji-hyuk.

“High ranker Seo Ji-hyuk. You’re about to become a mage soon, how do you feel?”

Seo Ji-hyuk’s appearance interviewing with the awards ceremony MC was captured on the large screen.

At that moment, Seo Ji-woo suddenly stuck her head into the camera angle.

“I’m jealous!”

“Oh, you startled me.”

Seo Ji-hyuk was surprised, and Seo Ji-woo ran into the building with a mischievous smile.

“Ah, I’m really jealous. How are you becoming a mage earlier than me.”

The bathroom of the awards ceremony hall. In that quiet place unlike the bustling outside, Seo Ji-woo washed her hands in cold water and grinned.

“Amazing, amazing.”

Her brother, who had safely discharged from the military, continued to develop without stopping and became a mage before her.

She was envious but not jealous.

Rather, she was proud.

As she shook off her hands and left the bathroom,

Tap─

The sound of a walking stick hitting the road surface. Seo Ji-woo naturally turned to look that way.

“Huh. What. When did you come?”

Seol Ha-woon. He was standing in the middle of the corridor.

“…Ji-woo.”

“Yeah?”

He moves his lips as if trying to say something, but then quietly looks at her. He seems to be hesitating for some reason.

When she was wondering why he was acting so unlike himself,

With a frozen expressionless face, he said.

“It’s time… to go back now.”

Meanwhile, Im Hae-jun was filming ‘I Live Alone’.

The filming at his house where he lives alone was already finished, and now it was time to gather with members in the studio to watch VOD and chat.

─Ah. I’m hungry… Oh right. There was some leftover from yesterday.

The studio became a sea of laughter at his simple yet easygoing appearance on screen.

“But, Hae-jun. Didn’t you expect to debut at 1st place?”

Im Hae-jun waved his hands and answered the MC’s question.

“Of course. I didn’t expect 1st place in Labyrinth Exploration NaN either. Teacher was a strong 1st place candidate.”

“In the end, you surpassed Teacher?”

“Haha… No, it’s not like that.”

He stretched and smiled as if embarrassed.

Meanwhile, a scene of himself playing with a hamster appeared in the VOD.

“Ah~ That friend is the famous hamster?”

The MC pointed at the screen and said.

“Yes. It’s Hae-soon. Really… a miraculous creature. A hamster living for 10 years. Isn’t that amazing?”

That’s amazing. Wow. Isn’t a hamster’s lifespan 3 years? This is really, maybe it lives long because it’s raised with love…

Such filming was continuing when.

Knock knock-

Suddenly, the sound of someone knocking on the studio.

Everyone’s attention focused there.

Creak.

The door slowly opened, and a sudden guest appeared.

It was Seol Ha-woon. He had a different coldness from usual, or rather, quiet as usual but strangely different coldness.

“…Teacher?”

Im Hae-jun’s eyes widened.

“Are you a secret guest?”

Then Seol Ha-woon chuckled, swept back his long hair and gestured.

“Let’s go.”

“…What?”

Im Hae-jun couldn’t understand the situation at all. Was it a hidden camera? Or was there another filming?

Step.

Seol Ha-woon took one more step closer and lightly patted his shoulder.

“Let’s go. To the place where you originally belonged.”

“Here, Seol Ha-woon is here.”

“Here too!”

“It’s Seol Ha-woon? This, this isn’t the real Seol Ha-woon, right?”

“It seems like the fake is just moving around like this?”

In the monitoring room, voices mentioning Seol Ha-woon increased.

Yoon Sa-hyuk also watched from the main PD’s editing room, observing one man appearing simultaneously on countless monitors.

The one person going to find them in their respective worlds, where they enjoy the most perfect happiness.

─Now, it’s time to leave, right?

─…Now it’s time to go.

—Now it’s time to go back.

This was the reason Yoon Sa-hyuk was certain of the explorers’ escape.

Their ideal world was perfectly constructed by the labyrinth. The labyrinth manifested a happy ‘reality’.

However, the memories that formed its foundation included Labyrinth Exploration NaN, and the synchronization rate was so high that it inevitably created an error.

A guide for those trapped in the fake had been created.

An ally who was a Labyrinth Person yet could lead them had emerged.

“…A person who can be the same in any world.”

He is fake but real. There’s no difference from the real one, and he’s even a fake that seems more real than the real thing.

This labyrinth perfectly reproduced everything about Seol Ha-woon. His memories, his abilities, and even the principles seated in his deepest core.

Therefore, Seol Ha-woon knows exactly what he must do and carries it out. Like an absolute constant that never changes.

Seol Ha-woon created a compass, but in truth, Seol Ha-woon’s very existence was the compass.

─For now, think about it later.

─Follow me. Then I’ll give you a hint for problem 10.

—Let’s go. To the place where you originally belonged.

He guides the real ones before the ‘real’ ones. Even knowing that he himself is a fake who will vanish the moment this world ends, he fulfills his calling as a pathfinder.

A person who can willingly advance toward his own annihilation solely to find the right path.

The most perfect explorer.

If the world without Kang Hyeon is fake,

then in the other ten worlds, there are ten Seol Ha-woons.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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